‘It Ends’ Release Date and Details A Surprising Horror-Thriller Success

Every so often, a filmmaker with a limited budget manages to create something that captures the industry’s attention. This is precisely the case with 28-year-old writer-director Alexander Ullom, whose cosmic-tinged horror debut has emerged as one of the most unexpected success stories of the year.

The film, titled ‘It Ends,’ is a road-trip horror-thriller that follows four recent college graduates who inadvertently find themselves on a never-ending highway filled with incomprehensible cosmic forces. This high-concept premise may seem straightforward, but it requires genuine skill to execute, and critics are increasingly convinced that Ullom has accomplished just that.

The film’s backstory is nearly as intriguing as its narrative. In an interview with Variety, Ullom shared that the film’s total production budget reached $80,000 after three rounds of filming, having started at just $30,000 before expanding through multiple reshoots. The final cost, including post-production, settled around $150,000, a modest sum for a film that is now generating significant industry buzz.

Ullom candidly discussed why ‘It Ends’ has managed to break through in a market that often favors different filmmaking origins. He noted, “It’s strange because ‘It Ends’ wasn’t made for a marketplace, whereas with ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms,’ Curry [Barker] and Kane [Parsons] honed their craft for years on YouTube.” He continued, “The model that has worked for a long time doesn’t work anymore and there are certain sensibilities and cultural tastes that you can’t manufacture without letting the kids play. It would be really awesome if this trend continues.”

Bringing the film to audiences was a challenge in itself. After a successful premiere at SXSW in March 2025, ‘It Ends’ initially faced difficulties in securing a distributor and spent nearly a year in what is often referred to as distribution purgatory. A fortunate meeting between Ullom and filmmaker Nicolas Curcio eventually drew the attention of Letterboxd’s CEO, who agreed to feature the film in the platform’s Video Store for undistributed movies. This move caught Neon’s interest, leading to the studio acquiring worldwide theatrical rights.

This gamble has proven to be highly beneficial. The film has since won the Best First Feature Award at the Fantasia International Film Festival and the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award at the Atlanta Film Festival, solidifying its reputation ahead of its wider theatrical release on August 21.

Ullom’s ingenuity extended to even the smallest production details. The crew purchased a used 1990s Jeep Cherokee to serve as the primary setting for the film’s trapped characters, later reselling it for more than the purchase price, turning a profit on a vehicle that endured countless miles during filming. Ullom likened this strategy to Christopher Nolan’s well-known practice of planting and later selling the corn used in ‘Interstellar’s’ cornfields.

Neon was reportedly so impressed with Ullom’s work on ‘It Ends’ that the studio also agreed to distribute his next feature, ‘4 x 4: The Event,’ which the director describes as “balls-to-the-wall gore and violence,” combining elements of ‘Battle Royale,’ ‘Saw,’ and ‘Climax.’ For a filmmaker who was once ready to upload his debut directly to YouTube, this rapid rise marks a truly rare trajectory in independent horror.

With ‘It Ends’ now in theaters and a growing reputation within the genre, Ullom appears poised to become one of horror’s most closely watched emerging talents.

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